YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL; BMW's latest crossover blurs the line between sport coupe and sport/utility.

Byline: GREG KABLE

At the launch of the first X5 in 1999, it was evident that BMW had turned the sport/utility vehicle segment on its head. Here was a sweetly styled all-wheel-drive machine offering the driving experience, performance, refinement, luxury and technology of its cars.

Eight years later, the X5 has grown and matured, losing some of its predecessor's intrigue in the process. But BMW's determination to meld the attributes of a typical SUV with those of its other models continues with the new X6.

Revealed here in production guise for the first time before a planned world debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the X6 represents BMW's attempt to marry a traditional coupe's sleekness and on-road dynamics with the visual bullishness and go-anywhere ability of an SUV.

The unusual styling, a combination of X5 and 6 Series design cues, was previewed in detail on the X6 concept car at the 2007 Frankfurt show last September ("Wild Thing,'' Sept. 17, 2007). The production version's only big changes are the addition of an exposed B-pillar and a 19-inch wheel-and-tire package that is standard on all U.S.-bound X6s.

The X6 xDrive 50i will be the first model to receive the German carmaker's eagerly awaited 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine when it goes on sale here in April. The new engine will replace the company's existing 4.8-liter V8, a move that underlines BMW's commitment toward engine downsizing through a combination of twin-stage turbocharging and direct injection.

Producing 400 hp at 5500 rpm along with 450 lb-ft of torque between 1800 rpm and 4500 rpm, the V8 delivers 50 more hp and 100 lb-ft of additional torque compared with the X5's naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V8. That's enough power to launch the X6 from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds-faster than a 650i automatic-while giving it a top speed limited to 150 mph and a claimed combined fuel economy of 22 mpg.